Median toxic dose

The median toxic dose is a way to figure out how much of a substance can be dangerous for humans or animals to consume, breathe in or have on their skin. Scientists test the substance on a group of animals and give them different amounts of the substance, starting with a small amount and increasing it gradually. They observe how much of the substance it takes to make half of the animals get sick or die. This amount is called the median toxic dose. In other words, it tells us the amount of a substance that could make half of the animals receiving it have negative effects. This information can help doctors and scientists understand how much of a substance is safe for humans to use or be exposed to.